April’s Fool 2011: World of Warcraft, StarCraft Motion, Diablo III

This year Blizzard Entertainment deployed another great April’s Fool series of inside-jokes as announcements of upcoming content to their video games. For those kinda slow, upcoming content that ain’t ever going to happen — nudge-nudge.

First the new World of Warcraft feature: Crabby, The Dungeon Helper. It’s a blue Ghostcrawler that pops in-game on the bottom-right to help you with tutorials — wait we already have this minus the crabby. Each time the Crabby shows up you see a yellow sticky note to either inform you or ask you. The crabby resembles way too much the Microsoft Word Office Assistant animation which looks like a Clip with two big eyes.

The Tomb of Immortal Darkness looks like a tie-in joke between Wold of Warcraft and Diablo III. Everyone remembers the infamous rant of some verbal community fans who complained Diablo III looked too much like World of Warcraft when it was first announced in Paris at the Blizzard Worldwide Invitationals. These fans demanded Diablo III should look dark and grittier. The Tomb of Immortal Darkness is a World of Warcraft dungeon that is so dark and grittier you can barely see anything. Blizzard even announces the revolutionary Deep Dark technology …

The third April’s Fool is based on Diablo III’s Horadric Cube. It shows a iPhone App — which is an interactive flash animation on your web browser — where you drag some icons into the Horadic Cube and transmute to get a combination of results. There are up to 40 variations. I posted below at least 39 (yea, took me a while to brainstorm). Actually, it would be awesome if Blizzard created a Diablo III iPhone / iPad App for the Horadric Cube or whatever they end up featuring. That way players can check up what possible combinations there could be, or even save formulas. That’s a great idea right there.

The most hilarious of the April’s Fool in my opinion — because it looks realistic and serious-toned with actual video footage and actors — is the StarCraft Motion. Blizzard makes fun of recent rumors and even video demos by touchscreen display companies showing StarCraft II gameplay using your hands rather than a keyboard. In this case, with a twist. StarCraft Motion is StarCraft II using XBox 360 Kinect … I recommend watching the video.

Note: Large images, please hold down your mouse’s right-button and choose open in new tab to see full size/resolution.

Introducing Crabby, The Dungeon Helper

The next content update for World of Warcraft introduces a brand-new feature designed to make your experience in Azeroth a whole lot user-friendlier. Meet Crabby: The Dungeon Helper! This adorable and knowledgeable crustacean companion will guide you through the game with useful hints, tips, and tricks for every situation. Read more about this upcoming feature on our new Crabby information page.

Preview: Tomb of Immortal Darkness

Deep below the damp graveyards of Duskwood, an ancient evil stirs in the darkness…. Featuring new gameplay mechanics, revolutionary Deep Dark® technology, three challenging bosses, and a host of incredible rewards, the Tomb of Immortal Darkness will be the third dungeon to see the light – well, maybe just a dim spark in an ocean of utter blackness – in the next World of Warcraft content update. Click here for a preview of the epic adventures that await!

Hold the Power of the Horadrim in Your Hands

After years of fevered development and tireless research into the mysteries of the Horadrim, we’ve finally succeeded in capturing the power of one of Sanctuary’s most enigmatic artifacts in a portable, downloadable form…. Behold, the Horadric Cube app for your smartphone or supported mobile device! But beware: great power often comes at a terrible price. Visit our Diablo III Horadric Cube app page to learn more, if you dare.

Experience StarCraft Like Never Before

We’re proud to present the next step in the evolution of the StarCraft series… and Blizzard Entertainment’s long-awaited return to the console scene. Check out our new game information page for all the details, and get ready to fight for control of the Koprulu Sector like never before!